Ash tray support



Feb. 19, 1957 D. T. CUNNINGHAM ASH TRAY SUPPORT Filed May 13, 1954 Fig.3

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ASH TRAY SUPPORT Dora T. (Iunningham, Springiield, Mo.

Application May 13, 1954, Serial No. 429,610

4 Claims. (Cl. 248-426) The present invention relates to ash trays, generally classified, and has more particular reference to so-called small ash trays such as are used on and in association with articles of furniture such as, for example, card tables, chairs with arms, and the like.

As will be evident from the accompanying sheet of drawings the instant concept has to do with a plurality of forms of the over-all generic invention and, generically speaking, the invention comprises an ash tray of any suitable form having a flat bottom and means for mounting the tray on a relatively stationary support, for example, the overhanging marginal edge of a card table, said means being characterized by a substantially U- shaped bracket or device having upper and lower arms constituting grips which releasably embrace the top of the table and thus function to apply and satisfactorily retain the tray in a handily usable but readily detachable position.

Another aspect of the invention has to do with an ash tray having an attached U-shaped or equivalent bracket wherein the outer ends of the respective arms of the bracket are hingedly connected to each other, Whereby to permit the tray to be swung from a horizontal ash receiving to a vertical dumping position.

Novelty is also predicated on a bracket of a hinging type wherein the lower arm of the bracket is provided with a spring finger whose free end is arranged to exert tension on the hinging means in a manner to normally maintain the upper and lower arms in opposed parallel positions which grip the intervening table or other support member.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on the incorporation in the U-shaped bracket of a rigid stop which is interposed between what may be called the free ends of the upper and lower arms in a manner shown in the drawing andhereinafter more specifically described. 7

What is more, novelty is also predicated on the last named form of the invention and the combination therewith of a simple U-shaped spring having upper and lower limbs to embrace the table or other support and wherein the upper limb underlies the lower arm of the U-shaped bracket and is secured thereto by a fastening which can in turn, serve to secure the stop to said lower arm.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are implied to designate like parts throughout the views;

Figure 1 is a view in section and elevation showing one form or embodiment of the invention, its preferred construction and the manner of use.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 with the ash tray re-, moved from the table.

Figure 3 is an elevational view similar to Figure 1 and showing a second form or embodiment of the invention.

2,781,992 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 Figure 4 is a side elevation illustrating a third embodiment of the invention. i

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Reference isconveniently made first to Figures 1 and 2 and especially to Figure 1 wherein the support means is here shown as a table, for example, a card table denoted by the numeral 6. The top of the table is denoted at 8 and a supporting leg at 10 and the ash tray 12 is detachably mounted on the overhanging or ledge portion of the table top in the manner shown.

The ash tray is of any suitable form and is preferably flat bottomed. The aforementioned U-shaped attaching device or bracket is here referred to, generically, as a readily attachable and removable substantially U-shaped bracket and it is denoted by the numeral 14. The upper arm 16 underlies and is fixedly secured to the flat bottom of the tray. The complemental lower arm 18 underlies the table top and is in approximate parallelism below the upper arm and it is provided at its left or outer end with hinge knuckles 19-19 provided with a hinge pintle 20 accommodating spaced parallel cars 22 hinged in place by way of the pintle 20. The cars extend laterally from 21 depending portion 24 which forms an integral part of the upper arm 16 and is here conventionally referred to as the bight portion of the over-all bracket. The lower edge thereof, as 26, normally projects below the plane of the arm 18 and the arm 18 is provided with a struckout spring 28 which is here described as a spring finger and the free end of this engages the lower edge 26 of the bight portion 24 and serves to thus maintain the respective arms 16 and 18 in operative relationship, in an obvious manner. This type of a bracket provides a satisfactory attaching and detaching device for the tray and it also allows the tray to be swung from the horizontal full line position to the dotted line position seen in Figure l for convenient emptying.

With reference now to the form of the invention seen in Figure 3 the U-shaped device or bracket is referred to here, generally, by the reference character 14*. Inasmuch as the bracket is the same in construction as that, 14, in Figures 1 and 2 the same reference numerals used in Figs. 1 and 2 apply to the identical parts seen in Fig. 3. It will be noted that in this form of the invention instead of attaching the U-shaped bracket 14 to the edge of the table, as shown in Figure 1, it is attached and held in position by a complemental U-shaped spring denoted by the numeral 36. This spring comprises a lower horizontal limb 32 and an upper limb 34, the two limbs being connected by a resilient or springy and curvate bight portion 36. The upper arm 34 and bight portion are slotted suitably to accommodate the spring tongue and hinge means in the manner shown and said upper limb underlies the lower limb l8 and it is fixedly connected thereto by a rivet 38. This same rivet serves to attach an L-shaped stop member 46. That is to say, the horizontal portion 42 of the stop member rests on the lower arm lfi and is secured by the rivet 38 in themanner shown. The vertical portion 44 is interposed between the respective free ends of the arms 16 and 13 and this provides a stop and limits the downward swing of the tray and holds it in the horizontal position shown. Whereas in the form of the invention seen in Figs. 1 and 2 the upper and lower arms and 18 clampingly but releasably embrace the table top, it will be evident that in this form of the invention the table top is gripped only by the U-shaped spring 30. That is to say, the spring 30 now becomes the table clamp. It also becomes an adapter which supports the complemental spring biased clamp 14% Not only this, once the structure in Fig. 3 is attached, the U-shaped spring or clip 30 stays put and the arms 18 and bracket 40 become relatively stationary parts thereof. This allows the tray 12 and the L-shaped part, the arm 16 and bight portion 24, to be swung from right to left (not shown) for dumping the tray. This actually provides a more satisfactory means of hingedly attaching .the tray to the table than in the arrangement or embodiment seen in Figures 1 and 2.

Another form of the invention appears in Figure 4 wherein the tray 12 is provided with a U-shaped spring 46. This'comprises an upper limb 43 and a lower limb 50 having a flared free end-portion 52. The bight portion is denoted at 54. This U-shaped spring it attached to the bottom of the tray by way of a third arm, one end portion (at the left in Figure 4) being attached to the bottom of the tray in any suitable manner, as denoted at 56. There is an end portion 58 which projects radially beyond the rim of. the tray and has a flared free end 60. This projecting end portion is attached to the upper limb 48 of the spring clamp and the manner of attaching and use of this form of the invention will be clear when considered in conjunction with the other figures already described.

The simplest form of the invention is shown in Figure wherein the tray 12 has a U-shaped spring clamp 62 attached directly thereto. That is to say, the upper limb 64 underlies and is affixed, in any suitable way, to the bottom of the tray. The lower limb 66 is joined to the limb 64 by way of a curvate bight 68 on the free end'is flattened and the form of a bead as of 70.

Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a flat bottomed ash tray, and means for detachably and hingedly mounting said tray on a table or the like, said means characterized by a substantially U-shaped bracket, embodying an upper arm underlying and fixed to the bottom of said tray, a lower arm, the latter having a resilient tongue struck out therefrom and providing a spring finger, said upper arm having lateral :1 depending bight portion, the latter having spaced ears hingedly attached to the adjacent end of said lower arm, and said spring finger having a flexed free end portion under tension and bearing against a cooperating lower edge on said bight portion.

2. In combination, a flat bottomed ash tray, and means for detachably and hingedly mounting said tray on a table or the like, said means being characterized by a substantially U-shaped bracket embodying an upper arm underlying and fixed to the bottom of said tray, a lower arm, the latter having a resilient tongue struck out therefrom and providing a spring finger, said upper arm having 11 depending bight portion, the latter having lateral spaced ears hingedly attached to the adjacent end of said lower arm, and said spring finger having a flexed free end portion under tension and bearing against a cooperating lower edge on said bight portion, and a rigid stop inter"- posed between and disposed at right angles to the free end portions of said upper and lower arms and fixed to said lower arm.

3. The structure defined in claim 2, and in combination a U-shaped spring separate from said bracket and cmbodying upper and lower limbs, said upper limb under lying said lower arm and being secured to the latter arm and said U-shaped bracket being thus perched on and supported by said upper limb.

4. In combination, a fiat bottomed ash tray, and means for detachably and 'hingedly mounting said tray on a table or the like, said means characterized by a U-shaped bracket embodying an upper arm underlying and fixed to the bottom of said tray, a lower arm, the latter having a struck out tongue providing a spring finger, said upper arm having a depending bight portion, the latter having spaced ears hingedly attached to the underlying adjacent endof said lower arm, and said spring finger having a free end portion tensioned and bearing against a co operating lower edge on said bight portion, a U-shaped spring complemental to said U-shaped bracket having upper and lower limbs and a bight portion interconnecting said limbs, said upper limb underlying the lower arm of said U-shaped bracket, and L-shaped member having a horizontal portion superimposed atop said lower arm and a vertical portion interposed between the upper and lower arms of the U-shaped bracket and constituting a stop, and a rivet passing through said horizontal portion. last named lower arm, and upper limb of said U-shaped spring.

References cumin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,202,816 Drake Oct. 31, 1916 1,212,185 Cobb Jan. 16, 1917 2,145,689 Haule Jan. 31, 1939 2,158,955 Blacher May 16, 1939 2,655,759 Cronberger Oct. 20, 1953 

